Trap.



A. C. GRIFFING.

TRAP.

APPLlcATloN man APR. so. 1915.

1,157,382. Patented om.. 19, 1915.

Z SHEETS- SHEET l.

A. C. GRlFFlNG.

TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3o. I9I5.

Patented 0013. 19, 1915.

1,157,382. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

79 /L I@ ff ff 7? l UL if J ff f4 4 ff if WITNESS/:"8: INVENTOR @/@w M6/WN@ I y Erm ATURNEYS ASA CYRUSYGRIFFING, OF BASKIN, LOUISIANA. l

TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 1a, i915.

Application filed April 30, 1915. Serial No. 24,880. Y'

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ASA C. GRIFFING, a1 citizen of thejUnited States, and ay resident of Baskin, in the yparish of Franklin and Statefof Louisiana, have invented an Improvement in Traps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to animal traps,an`d more particularly to a trap adapted to encage the animal withouty injury to the same.

y The primary object of the invention is to provide a trap consisting of a trip mechanism of novel construction operated by the entry' of the animal into the trap to close the entrance thereto and prevent escape therefrom; Another object of the Vinvention is thevprovision of a trap which `isv simple in construction, efficient, durable, 'and one which may be manufactured at a minimum cost. v Y

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, some of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure v1 is a side elevation of the trap constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 isa vertical longitudinal sece tional view thereof. Fig. 3 is atop plan view. Fig. t is an end elevation. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a modification showing a plurality of in-l dividual traps secured together. l f

Referring more v]Jarticularly tothe accompanying drawings in whichlike'refer ence characters indicate similar parts, the numeral 10 indicates the casing of the trap having a `hinge member 11 secured thereto and adapted to receive thereon the yoppositely extending covers 12 and 13l which form a portion of the top of the casing. Forwardlv of the cover-13, the casing is provided in its top withI an elongated longitudinally extending depressed portion 14e` adapted to receivel thereinl the trip mechanism which will be presently described. The interior of the casing is divided into compartments by a wire partition 15 mounted thereinl below the hinge member 11, the compartment 16 being adapted for the reception of bait, live or otherwise. The front end of the casing 10 is provided with ank ,opening 17 through .which an animal may enter the trap. The front end of the casing Yhas secured to its interior side thel oppositely'disposed guide flanges 18 arranged on each side ofthe opening 17 'and adaptedv to receive therebetween the vertically movable closure 19 which is maintained in an elevated position when the trap is set. The upper end of the closure 19 is provided with a slot on each side of which are formed small ears20 adapted to receive a spindle 21 upon which is mounted a small wheel or roller Y22 for a purpose which will presently appear. Formed on the exterior ofthe front of the casing is an outstanding portionl 23 which forms a channel for the roller 22, said portion terminatingat its lower end at a point above the opening 17.

At a point intermediate the side walls of `the casing and adjacent the opening 17, said casing has mounted and yadapted for rotation therein a vertical shaft 24;, the upper endl of which projects through the bottom of the depressed portion 14 of the casing. Shaft 24 has secured thereto a plurality of laterallyeXtending wire members 25 which form aswinging gate, the upper members 25 being bent at their ends asY` indicated in Fig. 5.'

Intermediate the ends of the depressed portion lathe same'has mounted therein a small transverse shaft26 upon which is secured a crank 27 adapted to have loosely mounted thereon alongitudinally extending tripmember 28 having a vslight lateral movement, Athe rear end of which is twisted to forma flat 'portion 29 adapted to engage in4 a notch'f30 formed in the shaft 24 adjacentthefupper end thereof when the trap isi'inV set position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The forwardpend of the trip 28 is also twisted toa/"forma downwardly curved portion 31 the upper surface of which is engaged by thefroller 22 carried bythe closure 19 so that the latter is held in its elevated position. The bottom of the depressed portion 14 is cut away at its forward end as indicated at 32r to permit of the passage 0f the roller when the closure is movedup and down.

In practice, the parts are adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 2 in which position the trap is set and ready to encage an animal entering through the opening 17 The animal will strike the bent members 25 in itsendeavor to reach the bait in the compartment 16 and cause said members to swing, thereby rotating the shaft 24. Movement of this shaft will cause the notch 30 therein to disengage the end 29 of the trip 28 and 

